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Better Left to Professionals
Lava Tunnel The narrow tunnel opens out on a much wider, more rounded tunnel, inclined steeply upwards for a few hundred feet, then completely blocked by a huge mass of solidified lava. Originally a volcanic vent, the tunnel runs straight and true, at least until it was blocked by cooling lava when the volcano became less explosive. The solidified lava batholith is studded with large crystals of kimberlite, quartz, and peridotite imbedded in the usual, finer-grained granite. The curving walls of the tunnel are made of darker diorite, indicating that this area was once an ocean floor. 'Contents: Loadout Pink Saturn Sky Counterpunch Hidden Blue Hovercar Combat Dunebuggy Obvious exits: Tunnel Tunnel Catechism has been dispatched on the important missions of retrieving a dead drop of data from an alien informant on Charr's hellish surface and then taking it back to base via the tunnels, so as to minimize suspicions and keep everything low-key and subtle. So far, it's been all too easy. She grabbed the datastick, she went underground, and now she's walking back. This is, if anything, boring, aside from the unpleasant temperatures and dangerous surroundings. "Catechism, you had better keep your optics open," Counterpunch's gruff voice echos from a dark alcove. The twists and turns of the tunnel and the lack of strong light sources make it difficult to tell just where his voice is coming from, but suffice to say he's staying pretty close to Catechism's location. "The data you're carrying can't fall into Autobot hands... If it wasn't so important, we wouldn't have to send it by courier, and we wouldn't have to send /me/ to make sure the /courier/ stays out of trouble." He adds, not sounding pleased with this 'escort the conehead' mission. Catechism waves a hand dismissively and assures, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, Counterpunch. Here, I'm more worried about spiders or leeches. This is Charr. Everyone knows that everyone forgets about Charr! Why do you think they did the dead drop here and not on Cybertron?" She sighs and glares over at some peridotite crystals. Blue Hovercar is way over in the Autobot encampment doing what he can to help with the construction. He's not a skilled builder, but at least he can get the grunt work done quickly. There were plans to build a SECRET BASE and mess up Decepticon stuff on Charr. Not that he cared much for the building part, but wrecking enemy stuff? Sandstorm was totally into that. In fact, he'd been snooping for possibly places to put some of those demolition plans he'd found to use when he'd gotten the tip on Decepticons moving something sensative through the tunnels. And if there was one thing better than breaking Decepticon stuff, it was breaking actual Decepticons. Yes, totally plausible reason for being lurking in a nearby side tunnel. Fortress Maximus has arrived. All along the watchtower, Arcee was watching for Decepticon incursion with her macrobinocular visor. She's all too aware that this is still a Decepticon world, and the Autobot hold is tenuous. Watchfulness is the key! "Stay sharp, Catechism." Counterpunch advises, his voice sounding much more distant. "My sources indicate the Autobots have been active in some areas of Charr, although details are still sparse. I'm going to double-back and make sure we're not being TAILED, and I have a sneaking suspicion our mission is not as secret as it was supposed to be." He adds in a gravelly grumble, and his footfalls can be heard heading down the rocky tunnel... Leaving Catechism to her own devices. Punch says, "Alright team, listen up." Decibel has encrypted this channel. The Autobot channel has been encrypted. Punch says, "Good work. Ok, strike team! Forwarding the Decepticon agent's coordinates to you now, check your weapons and move in." Sandstorm says, "Check and check... let's show 'em even Charr ain't safe for them to hide anymore." Blurr says, "Oh hey I'm near that area," for a certain value of 'near' that mostly applies to Blurr, "so I can help if you like my weapons are charged already and I'm sure I can be there in a minute not even a minute less than a minute if you need any more help and well okay I'm on my way!" Punch says, "I'm sure we can count on your timely arrival, Blurr." Punch says, "We need her down fast and we need herdown HARD, she's got the hardcopy of some valuable data in her posession." Springer has arrived. Arcee says, "Springer and Blurr and I are within reach of that waypoint too." Blurr says, "Well fast I can do when it comes to first they don't get much faster than me because I'm pretty much the fastest there is but if you want hard you'll need to talk to someone else!" Sandstorm says, "I'll make gettin' the drop on her easier for us." Arcee says, "Let's go, Blurr! Punch needs us!" Excited to have something to do, Arcee vaults over the parapet, hits the ground in a crouch, and transforms to lay rubber in the direction of the nearest tunnel entrance. Arcee rapidly reconfigures herself into her convertible mode. "I heard him I was listening to the radio too after all," Blurr complains, transforming and quickly overtaking Arcee before speeding past her, "I'll be there before you know it but mostly I'll be there before the 'Con knows it so we can show him that there's only one messenger for these tunnels!" Combat Dunebuggy may not have all the sneaky concealment tricks some of the other recon-bots due, but that's mostly because he'd think they were too 'easy' when it comes to getting the job done. He did know how to keep out of general sight and wait though, huddled in the shadows of the side tunnel with the electronic equivilent to adrenaline already starting to crackle through his systems in anticipation. Ambushing a Decepticon on their own controlled world was just the sort of dangerous assignment Sandstorm lived for... Catechism once again dismisses Counterpunch's words of wisdom. Autobots on Charr are Autobots begging for a whupping, she figures. It's like rocking into Mordor. She thinks she hears something behind her, and she pauses to look back for a moment. Nope, she doesn't see anything... oh wait. Oh slag. Once the double-agent was out of earshot, he had surreptitiously assumed his Autobot form and called in the troops. Now, with the needed firepower on the way, the counter-intelligence operative makes his way back up the tunnel towards Catechism's undefended back. He doesn't have a cloaking field or sound-dampeners, but he does have skills honed over the course of millenia performing dangerous work behind enemy lines. His twin mortar launcher appears from subspace, and as he sneaks up on Catechism, he lines up a shot for the back of her legs, to try to reduce her mobility before the cavalry arrives. "CATECHISM! I'm surprised they sent a Seeker to do a spy's job... You'll pay for that oversight." Combat: Punch appears from the shadows... Combat: Sneak Attack!! Combat: Punch strikes Catechism with his Twin Mortar Launcher attack! Combat: Punch (Punch) used "Twin Mortar Launcher": A Level 5 RANGED attack. Combat: You took 20 damage. When the mark reachs Punch's designated point Sandstorm shifts out of neutral and slams his throttle all the way down. The orange and red dunebuggy practically blasts out of the side tunnel, tires screeching as he veers around the turn and speeds headlong towards her down the main tunnel. It only takes a moment and a sharp glance to ID just who it is... which is a good thing because a few moments is all Sandstorm really has, actually angling partway up the side of the tunnel so he can tear past Catechism suddenly, then drifts around her and speeds back up on the other side, filling the tunnel with one of his namesake dust clouds in his wake as Punch is opening fire from the shadows. All the better to distract her so the other Autobots can move in! Combat: Combat Dunebuggy sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Combat Dunebuggy strikes Catechism with his Setting up the Ambush attack! Combat: Combat Dunebuggy (Sandstorm) used "Sandstorm": A Level 1 AREA-RANGED attack. Combat: You took 6 damage. Combat: That attack has temporarily affected Catechism's Accuracy. (Blinded) Sandstorm says, ".. Aw, it's just one of the jet-dames. I was expecting a stunticon or something down here." Sandstorm says, "Fortunately I'm an equal oppritunity face breaker." Blue Hovercar zooms through the twisting tunnels, zipping towards the location Punch provided, leaving Arcee and any following non-Sandstorm Wreckers in the dust. He's at the Seeker's location in a blink, though he doesn't slow down. He does, instead, start yelling. "Hey guys watch out coming through I can slow down but I don't want to so you'll have to get out of my way because if you're too near when this goes off it's going to /hurt/!" Unfortunately, he's already well past the fray by the time he's done warning them. Combat: Blue Hovercar misses Catechism with his Sonic Boom attack! -2 Combat: Blue Hovercar (Blurr) used "Sonic Boom": A Level 2 VELOCITY attack. The thrum of a finely-tuned engine precedes Arcee's appearance out of another side tunnel leading into the trunk that Catechism and Counterpunch (who must've been stealthily taken out by his eternal nemesis) were taking. Powersliding through the corner into the trunk line, she gears up and accelerates towards Catechism, whirling blades popping out of her wheel hubs as she closes in! Combat: Pink Saturn Sky sets her defense level to Aggressive. Blurr says, "A jet? But jets are horrible choices for fighting in tunnels they need room to move and tunnels don't have them so she's going to be at a disadvantage which is good if she has some important information but... I kind of feel bad about the numbers." Impactor says, "Don't." Combat: Pink Saturn Sky misses Catechism with her Alloy Boadicea Rims attack! Combat: Pink Saturn Sky (Arcee) used "Anti-Vehicular Device": A Level 2 MELEE attack. Punch says, "This is no time to feel bad, Blurr." Sandstorm says, "Well, they weren't -expecting- an attack." Sandstorm says, "Seriously, Blurr, feeling bad for a Decepticon? Tsk." Sandstorm is semi-joking. Blurr says, "Oh I know we can't fight fair but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about it you know?" Punch says, "We need to stop her from delivering that data, that's more important than the morality of ganging up on one lone Decepticon." Arcee says, "We don't do this to be cruel, Blurr. Sometimes violence is necessary. This information can't fall into Decepticon hands! Too many lives are at stake." Sandstorm says, "What the pink badass said." Arcee laughs brightly. "Thank you, Sandstorm." Rodimus Prime says, "I know I know I know didn't I just say that I know I could have sworn I said that why doesn't anyone ever /listen/ to me!" Blurr says, "I know I know I know didn't I just say that I know I could have sworn I said that why doesn't anyone ever /listen/ to me!" Sandstorm laughs. "No Blurr, you're just overclocked and hard to understand again." Blurr says, "I'm not overclocked because if I was overclocked I'd overheat and that'd be bad I'm clocked just right it's just that my just right is faster than your just right." Punch says, "You're the fastest Autobot around, Blurr, and I'm glad you're hear; your job is to cut off any attempt she makes to escape." Catechism is staggered by Punch's savage ambush, which rips through her torso an blows out her cockpit. Among the shards of busted glass and avionics, someone very attentive might notice a datastick in the debris. Then she gets sand in her face and tries to rub it away, which just scratches up her lenses more. Stumbling around, trying to get the sand out, she ends up wanderig behind a stalagmite, which is shattered by Blurr's speed. This also takes her out of the way of Arcee. She doesn't quite yet realise that she's dropped something, instead, she draws her whip and tries to crack it out at the assembled cars, but... really, a whip is better if there's room and it isn't getting caught on rocks. Coughing up a bit of energon, she grumbles, "This isn't even your planet, and I wasn't selling fried panda or anything!" Combat: Catechism strikes Punch with her Whiplash Whirlwind Area attack! -3 Combat: Catechism strikes Combat Dunebuggy with her Whiplash Whirlwind Area attack! -3 Combat: Catechism strikes Blue Hovercar with her Whiplash Whirlwind Area attack! -3 Combat: Catechism strikes Pink Saturn Sky with her Whiplash Whirlwind Area attack! -3 Combat: Drained 5 energon. Sandstorm says, "She dropped something in that assault, it might be the data cache!" The wild blind whipping catchs the back spoiler as Sandstorm speeds away, causing him to spin around a few times before he transforms, leaning back and dragging a hand on the ground to both slow down and stabilize himself. He's use to having to look back through his sand-clouds, so the glint off of something falling amonst the rocks doesn't escape his sharp attention. With that in mind, he takes a quick moment to decide on his next move. Twisting over and dropping briefly into a three-point stance, Sandstorm kicks off into a dash back towards the jet-femme. "We just decided to bring the party to you for a change!" It looks like he's going to charge right at her, up until he leaps forward and dives for the ground instead, trying to slide headfirst past her legs to grab at the dropped datastick before she can recover it! Punch says, "Good eye, Sandstorm." With a lightning fast flip and twist, Sandstorm lands in his robot mode, ready for action. Combat: Sandstorm misses Catechism with his Going for the goods (Grab) attack! Combat: Sandstorm (Sandstorm) used "Grab": A Level 0 MELEE attack. Sandstorm sniggers, "I'm good for somethin' other than bustin' headgaskets." "Woah-youch!" Blurr exclaims as the whip lands on him just as he comes around for another pass. He remains in vehicle mode and moves so quickly that he is getting hard to see as he darts just a bit further down the tunnel before coming back - since it's his job to cover the exits, it would be good if he knows where they are, after all. "Since when does whose planet it is have to do with anything you guys are always attacking planets that aren't yours like Earth and Nebulos and Femax and others so now we're here because you're here because if we want to stop you we have to be where you are and what do pandas have to do with anything?" Though he doesn't attack this time, he appears to be ready to go for her should she try to make for one of the exits. The whip slashes past Punch's defenses the electrical flail leaving dark scorch makrs along Punch's yellow and blue armor. "Cut the act, Decepticon. I know you're not down here on a pointless patrol or digging for gold. I also know you're not going to make it out of here to report the loss of that information." He says, giving the Decepticon a cold, level stare as he opens fire again with his twin mortar launcher. Combat: Punch misses Catechism with his Twin Mortar Launcher attack! -2 Combat: Punch (Punch) used "Twin Mortar Launcher": A Level 3 RANGED attack. Combat: Blue Hovercar sets his defense level to Protected. Combat: Blue Hovercar takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Pink Saturn Sky gets a nasty gouge in her trunk lid as she zooms past! Now she's mad. "I'm going to have to repaint that! Oh, this horrible sooty planet." Wearing a pout as she transforms, Arcee skids to a halt and draws her blaster, taking careful aim past the other Autobots- she doesn't want to hit any of them by mistake! The pink convertible peels back and straightens up as it folds through highly complex shapes into an appealing robot girl. Combat: Arcee analyzes Catechism for weaknesses. An earthquake shakes the ground, followed a few seconds later by the ominous sound of rumbling, another reminder that Charr is a volcanically active planet. Sandstorm says, "If we -really- don't want her going home again, we could bury her down here with some explosives." Arcee says, "That's a good idea, except that we're all down here too. See if you can set them up as a plan B in case she looks like she's getting away." Catechism is bounced about by the earthquake. Jeez, all these thermal core taps, and they haven't cooled the planet down enough to stop th tectontic activity? What a gyp! Listening to Blurr just gives her a headache, so she doesn't even try to answer him. But Sandstorm trying to grab something near her feet, so she fires off an acid round at him, snapping, "Get out of here. You don't belong! Our Triple-Changers are /much/ more purple than you are." Combat: Catechism strikes Sandstorm with her Acid Strike attack! Combat: Gained 4 energon. Punch grasps the rockwall with one hand as the tunnel fill with ominous rumbling, supporting himself against the tremor. He lines up Catechism in his sights as she attacks Sandstorm, and tries to get her attention off of the Wrecker. "ARCEE! I've got her in my sights, take the shot! We need her taken out before this tunnel falls in on us!" He shouts, sending the information from his gunsights to his pretty-in-pink ally. Combat: Punch sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Punch takes extra time to assist Arcee's next attack. Now that Blurr has scouted out the possible escape routes, he turns to drive back past Catechism, moving deftly through the tunnels, managing to always be just in the right place to be out of the way of any attacks the Autobots may make. Combat: Blue Hovercar strikes Catechism with his Sonic Boom attack! -3 Combat: Blue Hovercar (Blurr) used "Sonic Boom": A Level 1 VELOCITY attack. Combat: You took 8 damage. Arcee wobbles as the earthquake shakes the tunnel, but thanks to Punch's telemetry she gets right back on target, bracing her plasma blaster with both hands. A little sliver of silver tongue peeks out of the corner of her mouth as she squints down the sights in concentration. "Do my best, Punch!" Combat: Arcee strikes Catechism with her Team Effort attack! Combat: Arcee (Arcee) used "Blaster": A Level 8 RANGED attack. Combat: You took 18 damage. Combat: Arcee's attack has damaged your Strength! Sandstorm comes up just short of the grab when the seismic rumbling makes the datastick bounce through his fingers, and then gets a blast of acid in the shoulder knocking him sideways before he can scrabble after it. With a grunt he rolls over, the acid clearing warping the armor, but the smirk on his face is enough to say it's not slowing the Wrecker down much. "Well, if you insist on doing this the -hard- way, I'll gladly oblige!" Snapping one of his thermal knifes out of the arm slot and into his hand, he flings it at Catechism's shoulder, partially an effort to weaken her whip arm, and partially as a distraction. Combat: Sandstorm strikes Catechism with his Knife Throw attack! Combat: Sandstorm (Sandstorm) used "Thermal Knife": A Level 3 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 9 damage. Combat: Sandstorm's attack has damaged your Accuracy! Sandstorm says, "Nice shot guys!" Don't worry about where Springer's been all this time. He's likely been lurking in the shadows, observing this lopsided affair. Enough was enough though. It was time for the Wrecker to join the fun. Leaping out from some obscure tunnel into the open, the triple-changer flexes into readiness. "Alright guys and girls, don't have all the fun without me. I'll be happy to join your little party if you don't mind!" The Global Pose Tracker marks that Springer has 'skipped' his action for this round. Arcee says, "Good job, Punch!" Sandstorm says, "Hah! There you are Springer. Now we've really got her boxed in." Punch says, "Keep her contained, and GET that data. I'm going to check our perimeter and make sure we don't get cornered by any backup Catechism may have lurking around down here." Sandstorm says, "Keep her off my back and I'll do just that." Springer says, "We can chat later Sandstorm. Right now, it's time to WRECK!" Catechism grumbles, "Slagging Autobots, sticking their noses in where they shouldn't..." Arcee adds with an audible wink, "And rule?" Catechism just groans as Springer shows up. The downside of couriering through the Charr tunnels? Getting any backup here is going to be /hard/. Sure, the base is full of Decepticons, but getting them into the tunnels in a timely fashion is difficult. "Where /is/ that useless Counterpunch?" Arcee's supercharged slot slams her, blowing off her whole lower arm as she reaches down to try to grab the datastick back, now that she realises it is in jeopardy. Sandstorm's knife then sinks into the shoulder of that arm, and Blurr rattles her around. Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Protected. Combat: Catechism takes extra time to steady herself. Pass Combat: Regained 4 energon. Springer says, "That's a 10-4 Arcee!" Punch has given his unit their orders, and with one curt nod to the Wreckers, he slips away, heading down a side tunnel to secure the perimeter... Or so he says. With a quick change to his Counterpunch guise, the double agent makes his way through a connecting tunnel, routing around to approach from a different direction. He observes the scene surrounding Catechism with cold disdain. "I should've known you couldn't handle such a simple mission! I leave you alone for two minutes and you're up to your neck in Autobots!" He barks, leveling his photon cannon to fire off a shot at the big and burly Springer. Combat: Counterpunch strikes Springer with his Photon Cannon attack! Sandstorm smirks a bit as the other Wrecker joins the party, and as he gets up swats at Springer in the sort of 'tag-in' fashion you would see in a wrestling match. "Take over wreckin' for me Big Green, I gotta find the packet she dropped." Turning his head and squinting for a moment, he spots were the datastick has half slide into a small crack in the side of the lava tunnel, be it from the vibrations or getting kicked around in the fight. Either way he bolts to it and drops down onto his knees to shove his hand in the stony split in an effort to fish it out. Blue Hovercar finally leaps into robot mode just as he does his second drive-by, spinning towards the Decepticon to fire. "You shouldn't worry about him you should worry about yourself because you're the one in trouble and you're the one we're going to take do- oh no another Decepticon!" Suddenly, Blurr is a robot! Combat: Blurr sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Blurr misses Catechism with his Electro-Laser attack! Combat: Blurr (Blurr) used "Electro-Laser": A Level 0 RANGED attack. Sandstorm says, "Where'd that second creep come from? .. No matter, keep the pressure on guys, I'm gonna get whatever she was trying to deliver!" Counterpunch, dripping with scorn, "This is the last time we trust you with information retrieval ops, Catechism." Boomslang says, "Oh no, did Punch get you too, Counterpunch?" Catechism says, "Oh yeah, if you're such a smart guy, why didn't you just do this yourself?" Counterpunch says, "I've been off-world for a few cycles, you were already on your way before I knew that handed /DCI/ orders to you." Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Off-world? Where'd you go comrade?" Being a Wrecker meant that usually the odds were stacked against you, but in this rare case, Springer was actually on the team with the bigger numbers. "It's not quite the way I like fighting, but if it means we get to bash in some DEcepticons, then I'm all for i...GAAAH!!" Springer gets slammed in the back by a Decepticon that's apparently come to the aid of Catechism. Running a quick diagnostic on his systems, the Wrecker notices a few key systems took a hit, but he can't be worried about trivial damage at a time like this. "You're lucky that you're not the target pal!" Springer turns his attention to Catechism. "But unluckily for you, you /are/ the target!" Dropping his frame low, the Wrecker charges right at the Decepticon, trying to tackle her and slam her to the ground in one big show of strength. Counterpunch says, "That's /classified/." Catechism says, "Probably a stupid planet like Velocitron." Catechism says, "Full of CARS." Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Flying cars?" Darkwing says, "Sounds like a place for Autobots. Or maybe those idiot stunticons..." Counterpunch says, "Yeah, because NOBODY ever expects a bunch of misplaced JETS to be Decepicons in disguise." Combat: Springer sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Springer strikes Catechism with his Mean Green Machine attack! Combat: Springer (Springer) used "Mean Green Machine": A Level 3 MELEE attack. Combat: You took 9 damage. Combat: Springer's attack has damaged your Firepower! Combat: Springer's attack damages your armor. "Springer! Look out!" Arcee exclaims, whirling to cover Springer with her blaster pistol and snapping off two sizzling blue plasma bolts at that villainous Counterpunch! Combat: Arcee strikes Counterpunch with her Double Tap attack! -4 Darkwing says, "You act like people are intellgent or have any common sense. How many people have carried Soundwave into classified areas being a misplaced tape recorder?" Geo says, "... do not diss Soundwave." Impudent Fool Backfire says, "Well, didn't they put you in charge Darkwing?" Darkwing says, "Not dissing Soundwave, I'm commenting on the people stupid enough to not suspect him." Geo says, "Oh. Carry on dissing the other jets, then." Carjack says, "Sending a jet into a tunnel? Who's silly idea is that?" Boomslang says, "Knowing Catechism she probably volunteered." Catechism says, "What, no, this was a boring mission! It was this or cleaning duty. ...so yeah, I volunteered." Geo says, "So get rebuilt into a drilltank then!" Cyclonus says, "So THAT'S how I got stuck with cleaning duty!" Impudent Fool Backfire says, "So THAT'S how I got stuck with cleaning duty!" Counterpunch says, "And she's paying for her hubris. Next time you have an Intelligence mission, leave it to the professionals." Catechism says, "Ugh, then I'd have to put up with comparisons to Impactor and Twin Twist - sorry Lord Cyclonus, sir!" Boomslang says, "Sir yes sir! We know how you hate cleaning duty sir!" Misfire says, "Sir ye-- SHINY" Catechism gets distracted by Counterpunch's scathing disses on the Decepticon broadband, which makes it easy for Springer to bash off one of her arm guns. She does manage to evade Blurr, but Sandstorm's fishing isn't good at all, so she tries to boot him away. Carjack cackles a bit. Some random power tool can be heard powering up. "Mmmmm, unsanctioned upgrades...." More cackling. Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Aggressive. Combat: Catechism strikes Sandstorm with her Kick attack! Combat: Drained 2 energon. Counterpunch, focussed on taking on the biggest target, doesn't suspect little miss Arcee until it's too late, and he's caught in her line of fire. The plasma bolts leave a pair of black scars on his midnight blue armor. The cold professional seems unphased, and he makes broad, confidant steps towards Arcee, and glares at her before lunging forward to grapple her into submission. "Playtime's over." Combat: Counterpunch strikes Arcee with his Spy Trick attack! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Arcee's Agility. (Crippled) Blurr starts sqeezing off multiple low power blasts at both the Decepticons. "Playtime who's playing we're not playing and because we're not playing you're in big trouble!" he babbles as he runs from place to place, moving through several spots in an attempt to find the best firing angle, and quickly rejecting all the spots as optimal. Sandstorm grunts as he's kicked in the side, smacking him against the wall he's trying to reach down the split in. "Typical Decepticreep, don't know when she's been beat." Snapping his second knife into his hand he pushes himself over to the other side of the crevasse, trying to get out of her reach as he jabs the blade into the opening and tries to pry the crack a bit bigger so he can properly reach into it. He's crouching down while doing so, making himself less of a target as Springer and Blurr hopefully can keep her occupied and off his back again. Combat: Sandstorm sets his defense level to Guarded. Arcee finds her head and one arm pinned in Counterpunch's fiendish submission hold! "Aww, but I'm just getting warmed up," Arcee replies, one of her powerful legs snapping back over her head in an attempt to make Counterpunch pay for taking liberties with her person! Combat: Blurr misses Counterpunch with his Quickdraw Area attack! Combat: Blurr strikes Catechism with his Quickdraw Area attack! Combat: Blurr (Blurr) used "Quickdraw": A Level 2 AREA-RANGED attack. Combat: You took 10 damage. Combat: You are very aware that your life is in danger! Combat: Blurr's attack has damaged your Strength! Combat: Arcee strikes Counterpunch with her Scorpion Kick! attack! -1 Catechism says, "Oh, gah! This was a stupid mission to accept! I take it all back!" Counterpunch says, "A little late, Catechism." No one messes with the Wreckers and no one /especially/ messes with Arcee. Not at least while Springer's functioning! Content with slamming Catechism into the ground, the Wrecker rises and looks toward Counterpunch. "You know what they say...if you can't kill two robo-birds with one stone...you kill them with TWO STONES!" Or in this case extremely, extremely strong wind. Powering up his arm-mounted air cannons, the Wreckers sends a tiny whirlwind at each Decepticon. Combat: Springer misses Catechism with his Wind Tunnels Area attack! -3 Combat: Springer (Springer) used "Wind Tunnel": A Level 1 AREA-RANGED attack. Combat: Springer strikes Counterpunch with his Wind Tunnels Area attack! -3 Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Counterpunch's Agility. (Crippled) Carjack snaps back to reality, "Shall I prepare medical for the delinque-err-patient?" Counterpunch says, "she doesn't deserve it." Cyclonus says, "Whom or who doesn't 'deserve' anything, is beyond you.. Counterpunch." Carjack says, "Nonsense! If we didn't repair every soldier that was an idiot, we'd have not soldiers!" There's a long, thoughtful pause. "... Now, if there's a lack of applicable supplies TO repair an idiot, that's an entirely different matter." An earthquake shakes the ground, followed a few seconds later by the ominous sound of rumbling, another reminder that Charr is a volcanically active planet. Cyclonus says, "Carjack, personally see to Catechism's stabilization. Keep her functioning.. but do -not- fix anything not vital to sustained existence." Darkwing says, "If the soliders are not in top condtion, then that is a detrmenent to Lord Galvatron's plans. We can't have a war machine without gears. Not that it'd matter anyway, as they'll just get smashed or rust regardless. But even the most basic of 'cons should know Galvatron wants his troops at their best at all times." Arcee remembers! No more reminders necessary! Catechism has all but been disavowed, she hears. She grimaces, more over her own failures than the pain, though... the pain is also really, really bad. While she avoid Springer's gusts, she's not lucky enough to avoid Blurr. Well, if they're not going to repair her, she can make sure there's a lot of not-repairing to do! Wait... that doesn't make any sense. But still, she pulls out her bomb making kit, determined to go out with a bang. And a boom. Combat: Catechism has created a bomb: "A Bang And A Boom"! Combat: Catechism sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Catechism strikes herself with A Bang And A Boom's Huge Explosion #10144 Area attack! Combat: Catechism's A Bang And A Boom is destroyed! Combat: Catechism (Catechism) used "Huge Explosion #10144": A Level 6 AREA-RANGED attack. Combat: You took 14 damage. Combat: You have foolishly damaged your own Firepower! Combat: Catechism falls to the ground, unconscious. Combat: Catechism strikes Counterpunch with A Bang And A Boom's Huge Explosion #10144 Area attack! Combat: Catechism strikes Arcee with A Bang And A Boom's Huge Explosion #10144 Area attack! Combat: Catechism misses Blurr with A Bang And A Boom's Huge Explosion #10144 Area attack! Combat: Catechism strikes Springer with A Bang And A Boom's Huge Explosion #10144 Area attack! Combat: Catechism strikes Sandstorm with A Bang And A Boom's Huge Explosion #10144 Area attack! Combat: Used up 1 Bombs. 0 remain. Blurr sees the bomb, and even shouts, "HEY LOOK OUT!" as he's running back down the tunnel to avoid the shockwave. Sadly, there's a difference between giving warning and actually making sure your friends are out of harm's way. :( Arcee looks around at Blurr's warning, but a warning is not enough. She throws up her arms to cover her face as tons of rock and metallic ore come crashing down on her! Counterpunch gets his steely grip around Arcee's lithe frame, and even rapid-fire firing from Blurr isn't enough to dissuade him from his advances; Arcee's sudden agile kick surprises Counterpunch enough that his grip loosens, but it is Catechism's unexpected attempt to bring everyone ELSE down with her that forces him to abandon any plans of pillaging Arcee's feminine curves. The ceiling begins to crumble down upon them, and Catechism herself seems to have succeeded where all the Autobots had failed! He holds an arm over his head to ward off the tumbling rubble, and he makes his way towards what is /left/ of Catechism's broken body, beggining to drag her corpse away... Hopefully before the tunnel completely collapses. Sandstorm totally hears Blurr's warning... but there's the little matter that he's too close to the source to both retrieve the very thing they're after -and- get out of the way of the bomb. Not to mention if he left it the bomb could block off the crack, or worse! But this is where being the fearless daredevil comes into play. Sandstorm yanks his arm out of the crack in the wall, hand clamped tightly around the data device. Then dives to the side, hunching down to the ground and literally covering the precious piece of hardware with his body, groaning a bit as the blast of the bomb and the flames and sharp shards of rock all tear across his back to keep that very important information protected! Sandstorm says, "I -- NGGGH! -- I got it!" Blurr says, "Are you guys okay I hope you're okay that sounded pretty bad are you able to get out I'm not much of a tunneler but I can go get one and have him back here in a second!" Impactor sighs. "Blurr, what'd ya do now?" Springer leaps to protect Arcee, but unfortunately he arrives just in time to get covered in every rock in the "Rock Dictionary - Edition 3". Punching up through the rubble, the Wrecker manages to pull Arcee and himself out from the heap of debris. "The tour pamphlet said we would see new parts of Charr, but didn't expect this!" Dusting his green frame off, Springer focuses his blue optics on Sandstorm. "So you got what we came for?! Great! Let's get out of here before the whole tunnel collapses in on us! Blurr, lead us out of here!" Transforming into his car mode, the Wrecker revs his engines up to plow through any obstacles in the way. Sandstorm hehs. "I've been through worse... No boss, Catechism was getting trashed and tried to take the rest of us with her." Fortress Maximus says, "Did our people get trapped underground. -Again-?" Blurr says, "I outran the bomb because I'm supposed to run it's what I did and I warned the others I really did but... uhm... it was kind of a big bomb." Arcee rapidly reconfigures herself into her convertible mode. Jayson Redfield makes an odd choking sound. Springer quickly shifts into a mean green, Cybertronian Race Car! Pink Saturn Sky falls in behind Springer, whose armored prow is built just for cases like this rockfall (and for ramming Decepticons). "I knew you'd dig me out in no time flat," she says. "I wasn't worried in the least." "As much as I hate to wreck and run, getting this info home is more important." Sandstorm sprints a few steps after the others before transforming and falling in line behind Arcee and Springer. "Lead you out? Sure I can do that it's easier than following anyway," because everyone else is too slow for him, "anyway it's out this way we should probably take a detour because that blast kind of made this section a little unstable but I've already scouted out an alternate so if you'll just follow me and I'll even make sure to go slow enough that you can see me!" With a quick flip and the roar of an engine, Sandstorm takes off in dunebuggy mode, leaving a cloud of dust in his wake. Suddenly, Blurr is a hovercar! Springer says, "Don't worry, I got a good look at him Arcee. Consider him an endangered species!" Fortress Maximus says, "Well if you guys are still joking around, that probably means things aren't as bad as I had thought. Give us a call when you're coming back, I'll arrange for the medical staffs to be ready for any injuries you guys might've sustained." Arcee says, "We're not so bad. You should see the other guys."